Ralph Hawkins, chairman of the board of HKS, Inc., and chair of the Dallas Regional Chamber, received the 13th Annual Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award, presented by Bank of Texas, Texas Woman’s University and the Texas Woman’s University Foundation, at a luncheon Feb. 19 at the Belo Mansion and Pavilion. Texas Woman’s University’s new Chancellor and President Dr. Carine M. Feyten along with the 12th Annual Virginia Chandler Dykes Award Recipient Mary Brinegar presented the award to Ralph Hawkins.
“Ralph Hawkins’ impact can be seen through his work and in his love of education and ongoing mentoring of students in his profession,” said Dr. Feyten.
As Hawkins took the stage, he praised the work of Virginia Chandler Dykes, a dynamic healthcare provider and community leader who has made such an impact on the lives of so many young scholars at TWU.
“I had the honor of working with Virginia in 1984 on a major building addition at Baylor University Medical Center, which makes this award even more meaningful to me as a healthcare architect,” added Hawkins. “I am honored to be chosen as the recipient of this award and flattered to be in the company of the recipients who represent the caring commitment and leadership she exemplifies.”
Attendees included many former recipients of the award including: Geraldine “Tincy” Miller, Marnie Wildenthal, Caroline Rose Hunt, Kathleen Mason, Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, Patricia Meadows, and Mary Brinegar. Additional guests included all of TWU’s Regents, Texas State Representative Myra Crownover, Billie Leigh Rippey, Regina Bruce, and Gloria Sneed.
Hawkins also reflected on the kidney transplant he had many years ago that completely changed his focus on what he wanted to accomplish in life. “My focus is now on my spirituality, my family, and my career – in that order.”
Established in 2002, the award is given annually to a Dallas leader with a life-long commitment to improving the quality of life in the community and to furthering the importance of education.
Prior to becoming chairman of the board of HKS, Inc., Ralph Hawkins served as its CEO for 12 years, overseeing the planning and design of more than $1 billion worth of projects throughout the world totaling 40 million square feet. In the Dallas area alone, HKS' designs include Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas Hamon Tower, AT&T Stadium for the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Woman's University T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences-Dallas Center, as well as expansion of both DFW Airport's Terminal D and the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. He has been named Best Executive for a Professional Service Firm by the National American Business Awards; CEO of the Year (large firm category) by the Professional Services Management Journal; and one of the "Top 25 Best Bosses" by a Fortune magazine survey.
Hawkins shares his passion for education not only in healthcare design but also as a mentor to students in the architectural profession. Hawkins is a founding Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Architects and continues to participate. As a founding member, he served on the first certification examination committee to uphold adopted standards of "legally defensible and professionally sound." He organized and produced the first AIA traveling presentation on significant healthcare architecture - educating, training and promoting architects in the health specialty. He also helped develop the organization's certification process, championing it as a key speaker at the national AIA convention.
Hawkins served as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), where he taught graduate-level healthcare design. As a result of his contributions, the Board of Regents appointed him to the Visiting Council for the School of Architecture, and the president of UTA requested he serve on the Student Employee Consortium. He received the university's highest honor, the Distinguished Alumni Award. At his other alma mater, Rice University, he is a member of the School of Architecture William Ward Watkin Council.
Dykes completed the graduate occupational therapy program at TWU in 1954 after earning her bachelor of arts in art and psychology from SMU. She was the director of the Occupational and Recreational Therapy Department at Baylor University Medical Center for 25 years. In 2002, she established The Virginia Chandler Dykes endowed scholarship fund at TWU for occupational therapy students.
This luncheon also provides scholarships for four outstanding graduate students, while continuing to grow the Virginia Chandler Dykes Endowment. The students honored were Lenin Grajo from the College of Health Sciences (OT), Heidi Gilroy, College of Nursing, Lena Jackson-Lynch, College of Professional Education, and Tawny LeBouef Tullia, College of Health Sciences.
Visit www.twu.edu/vcd.